what is my best option if i need someone to watch my son from after 3 to possibly 7pm?

[rita2007]

hoping to get some advice about this. i plan on going back to work in september when my son starts school and need a childminder/live out nanny/babysitter who is willing to stay in my home until about 7pm sometimes (as required); what is my best option for childcare? childminders usually wont keep your child past 6 and due to my husband working past midnight, i dont know what i will do about those one-offs where i have to stay at work past 6..... what are my options? help!!!! I need to go back to work or i will go crazy :(

Like you said most childminders will only look after your child till 6pm.
I think your best options would be to:

1 Either reduce your hours at work

1. Emply an aupair.

or employ a part time nanny.

I'm a childminder and I finish at 7pm, sometimes 7.30!

Or how about a mother help? OLder lady with grown up kids maybe?

I did find a CM who would work till 7:00pm, we only need her till 6:30pm but she'd work later if needed. If a CM doesn't advertise the hours you need its always worth asking. Ours advertised a 7:30am start but I needed a 7:00am start so I asked her and she said fine.

I'd start by ringing round your local childminders to see if any would work to 7pm, you never know. If it is only for one offs ( and you would normally pick up at 6 or half 6) they may be willing to do so. Then move into looking at au-pairs or nannys( maybe a nanny share)

Good luck

Advertise for a student to do this - should get loads of takers

With one child, your easiest option in my view is a Childminder - though as you say some will want to finish by 6pm, though others are more than happy to have children later, so check with local childminders what hours they provide care.

If you can't find that then you will need to look at someone coming to your home. This will mean a higher cost and it could be considerably higher. An after school nanny could well be an option, though costly... though you may wish to consider a nanny who brings their own child with them as that can help reduce the cost a little.

Would the care be 5-days a week? Would it be all year round?

i will see if any childminders will do until 7 if i really need it. i am willing to pay whatever they want as getting my career on track is the objective right now as i was on a contract when was prego so never had a perm job/familiar environment to go back to.

Superio, what do u know about pt nanny? any guidance?

as for the student suggestion, not to comfortable with that. generally i would get home by 6 but it would be nice to have the flexibility with the CM, combined with some friends in area that i can call on if i really need should be a workable solution :)

hi nannynick,
i would need the nanny for 4 days (mon, wed, thurs and fri). how much would i be looking at - £70 per day?

What hours would you need a nanny to work? Location geographically - such as County and are you city/town/rural?

A nanny all day, so say 7am-7pm will be a lot more and £70.

How often does the working until 7pm occur? How much advance notice of working till that time do you get?

Hi I am a CM and I have an after schooler who can be with me till 6.30 at short notice. They are part of the family so I just get on with my family routine and have told mum that she may have to meet me at swimming pool if my own children have a swimming lesson. It is not every day and only once or twice a week. My hours are 8 till 6 but I am will to work later if I am needed. Just ask the CM.

6:30 is decent.... anything better than 6 sharp is better.

nanny nick,
nanny would need to pick him up by 3 from school and then take care of him until 6 (7 if at last minute management drops something and i need to stay late by a bit).

the working a bit later would not occur prob more than once or twice a month.

i live in redbridge (so NE London)

sorry, i meant not more than once or twice a month

thanks to you all. i now have leared to 2CMs in my area that take care of kids until 7 :)